Commercial coin operated laundry facilities (“laundromats”) typically have a dozen or more washing machines and dryers, each with its own coin drop system. However, this arrangement adds cost and complexity to each machine, and renders all of the machines independently susceptible to tampering and theft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,358 to Zahradnik discloses a security guard for protecting the coin receptor unit of a coin operated automatic washing machine, dryer or similar machine embodying a heavy metal cage structure fitted about the coin receptor housing so as to prevent unauthorized removal of the coin box therefrom. The guard is provided with a first sidewall member and a top wall member which are integrally related at right angles to one another. A second sidewall member is hingedly joined to the top wall member and operationally parallels the first sidewall member. A fixed bolt or shaft extends from the inside of the first sidewall member laterally through the coin receptor unit and is received through an opening in the second sidewall member when the latter is swung into operating position. A front wall member of the guard is also hinged to the first sidewall member and is arranged to swing over the front end of the receptor unit, blocking off access to the coin box. The front wall member is provided with an opening for the passage of a hardened steel shaft or bolt which anchors to the front wall member and passes through an opening formed for that purpose near the outer end of the fixed bolt so that the two are thus intersectingly interlocked exteriorly of the receptor and guard in operation. A suitable padlock or other locking means is provided to secure the bolt and shaft in their interlocked relationship, preventing its unauthorized removal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,362 to Keret describes a management system for coin operated laundry machines at individual locations, the system including data transfer means at each machine, a hand held terminal for receiving and transmitting data, in which each machine includes a circuit board interconnecting coin collecting means and operational circuits, the circuit board having storage facilities for both operational parameters and coin auditing data, the hand held terminal having means for transmitting information serving to vary any of the operational parameters and for receiving data associated with coin collection.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,398 to Behunin teaches a commercial washer and dryer coin box guard adapted for receipt in a coin box frame. A coin box is slidably received inside the coin box frame, which is part of a coin box housing. The coin box housing is part of a washer or dryer. The coin box guard is designed to prevent unauthorized entry into the coin box and stealing coins found therein. The guard includes a face plate dimensioned for covering the front of the coin box frame. The face plate has one or more flanges on the sides thereof for engaging a portion of the sides of the front of the coin box frame. One of the sides of the coin box frame has a frame hole therethrough. The frame hole in the side is indexed with a flange hole in one of the flanges. The frame holes in the side of the coin box frame and the flange are adapted for receiving a hasp of a padlock for securing the face plate to the front of the coin box frame. Also, the sides of the coin box frame can have a pair of frame holes indexed with a pair of flange holes for receiving a lock bolt therethrough. The lock bolt, using a padlock, holds the face plate next to the front of the coin box frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,418,521 to Schroeder, et al. discloses a controller for bridging a host computer and networked laundry machines. A laundry system has a plurality of laundry machines networked together and a remotely located host computer for collecting operation data and audit data from the laundry machines and to program the laundry machines with operation parameters. A bridging controller is provided to bridge the host computer with the network of laundry machines, and communicates with the host computer through a wired or wireless network connection. The host computer may command the bridging controller to collect data from the laundry machines and may send programming data to the laundry machines through the bridging controller.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.